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(NoModeL) F. E. PARKER.

Folding Chair.

Patented March 8,1881.

Illll ATTORNEYS.

NrPETERs, FHOTO-UTHOGKAFHER WASHINGTON, l1v G.

UNrrED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK F. PARKER, OF GARDNER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO PHILANDER DERBY, OF SAME PLACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 238,708, dated March 8, 1881.

ApplicationfiledDecember10, 1880. (No model.) A

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK F. PARKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gardner, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Folding Ghair, of which the following; is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improved construction of folding chairs which may be folded or collapsed so as to occupy less space whenever an economy of space becomes desirable, as in shipment of the goods, &c.

The improvement consists in a chair composed of five principal members on each side, of which the back-bars and hind legs are arranged on each side of the chair in the same plane and carry the seat, while the front legs and arms are in another plane, and the front and rear legs and the back-bars are each jointed to a cross-bar, which rests between the plane of the fore legs and hind legs, as hereinafter more fully described.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters refer to similar parts, Figure l is a side elevation of the chair when disposed for use. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a side view of the chair partially folded, and Fig. at is a similar view of the chair completely folded into its smallest compass.

In these drawings, A represents the backbars; B, the hind legs; 0, the fore legs; D, the arms; E, the cross-bar, and F the seat. This seat is carried in the rear bya round connecting the two back-bars, and at the front is carried by the round which connects the forward ends of the hind legs, the latter extending forward at an inclination, so that their upper ends project to the extreme front of the chair, while the round connecting them forms the front edge of the chair-seat. The distance from the end of the hind legs to the round connecting the back-bars is, in the peculiar movements of the chair, always the same for all the positions through which the chair passes in folding, so that the seat is held taut for all positions,and either a flexible seat, as shown, or a rigid seat may be employed.

Ot'the several members ot'the chair the backbars A and hind legs, B, on each side are arranged in the same plane, and the lower ends.

of the back-bars are extended below the level of the seat, and are connected to the hind legs by a link, a, so that when the occupant of the chair bears against the back the lower ends of the back-bars find an abutment against the hind legs.

The arms D of the chair rest in a horizontal position, and at their rear ends are jointed to offsets from the back-bars, while at their front ends they are connected, by links b, to the vertical fore legs, which latter are extended above the seat, so that the arms and fore legs are in the same plane, and the arms find a direct abutment and support upon the tops of the said legs.

Between the plane of the fore legs and arms on the one hand and the hind legs and backbars on the other hand is arranged the crossbar E, which rests below the level of the seat and is jointed to the back-bars at c, to the hind legs at c, and to the fore legs at 0 Now, when the chair is folded the arms slide backward] y over the ends of the fore legs, the front edge of the seat rises, and the lower ends of the back-bars move down toward the ends of the rear legs, causing the chair to assume, first, the position shown in Fig. 3, and finally that shown in Fig. 4.

Having thus fully described 'my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent l. A folding chair consisting of a pair ofhind legs and back-bars located in the same plane, connected by a link, a, and arranged to carry the seat, as described,in combination with the fore legs and arms, connected by a link, I), and also arranged in the same plane with each other, and a cross-bar jointed below the seat to the fore legs, hind legs, and back-bars, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.v

2. A foldmg chair having the front legs, the hind legs, and back-bars all jointed to a crossbar, and having the front legs and arms connected by a link, and the hind legs and back also connected by a link, as and for the purpose described.

FRANK F. PARKER. Witnesses:

FRANCIS RICHARDSON, 'LUcY A. TURNEY. 

